


S-A-N-T-A. It's Not A Name At All

by teacupears



Category: Harry Styles (Musician), Keeping Up With The Kardashians, One Direction (Band), kendall jenner (model)
Genre: Christmas, Dad Harry, F/M, hendall, it's a tad lack luster imo, santa au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2019-10-08 11:32:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17385695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teacupears/pseuds/teacupears
Summary: uhhhh, the christmas fic no one asked for





	S-A-N-T-A. It's Not A Name At All

* * *

  **December 9th**

 

Harry and Cathleen took a break. A juice box for her and two for him, they sat on the couch staring at the rather spindly tree Cathleen had picked out. It wasn’t Harry’s ideal tree; he would’ve gone for something fuller, something sturdier. But she had a plan. He wasn’t sure what it was, but if she had a vision then he’d go with it.

 

“What do you think?” Harry tilted his head slightly towards his daughter, continuing to stare at the tree. “Do we need to go to the store or do we have everything already?”

 

Cathleen glanced at the boxes of decorations sitting off to the side, “Do we still have that fluffy snow stuff?”

 

“We should.” Harry got up from the couch and took a look through the boxes for the fake snow they had used for the windows two years before. “Yeah we’ve got it. We also have icicles and two types of tinsel. Regular, and lametta.” He held them up for her to see. “What color ornaments are you thinking?”

 

“Silver and white.” Harry looked up at the tree, Cathleen’s snowy theme forming in his mind.

 

“I think I’m beginning to see what you’re seeing Cath.” He turned back and smiled at his daughter.

 

* * *

**December 15** **th**

 

“Is Santa real?” Harry looked at his daughter in the rearview mirror, meeting her eyes as they pulled to a stop.

 

The light was red.

 

“Yeah.” She didn’t look away.

 

“But how do we know that he’s real?” Harry glanced at the stoplight, checking that it was still red before returning his daughter’s gaze in the mirror.

 

“Well where do you think those other presents come from?” Cathleen stared at him for a bit longer and he raised his eyebrows at her silence. Looking down at a loose string on her coat she shrugged, turning to look out the window instead.

 

The light turned green.

 

“You could put them there and just pretend they’re not from you.” Harry shook his head.

 

“Maybe that’s what other people do. But I don’t. Santa’s real Cath.” He glanced at her again as he drove. “Don’t let others trick you into thinking he’s not.”

 

//                   //                   //                   //

 

“What kind of cookies do you wanna make this year?” Harry stood at one end of the isle, staring into a refrigerated display case at the variety of cookie dough options. They would make them from scratch. They always did. But the display had stopped him, derailing his train of thought. “Chocolate chip’s a classic of course. Not to mention sugar cookies.”

 

At the other end of the isle was Cathleen. Looking over at the section of the store where all the Christmas decorations were laid out. A low buzz in her ears drowning her father out. “We could do something different though, oatmeal?”

 

“Do you think Santa gets presents?” Harry turned his head, broken from his thoughts. He turned around, surprised that Cathleen hadn’t been close to him.

 

“What?” He walked over and stood next to her, looking at the Christmas section as she did. A giant inflatable Santa was set up just on the edge. Holding his bag of presents over his shoulder.

 

“Do you think Santa gets presents?” Harry shifted the box he was holding under his arm and thought about it.

 

It was a good question.

 

“That’s a good question.”

 

And he didn’t know.

 

“I don’t know.” Harry shrugged. “Santa’s life is a mystery.”

 

“Can we get him something?” Cathleen turned away from the Christmas items to glance over what she could see of the store.

 

“A present instead of cookies?” Harry looked down at Cathleen

 

“Why not both?” She looked up at him, “A present and some cookies.”

 

//                   //                   //                   //

 

Selma stood out on the balcony, leaning on the rails, staring out at the snowy hills that surrounded the home. Enjoying the calm quietness of the evening and its plum colored sky. Behind her the doors slip open and a somewhat short man stepped out.

 

“Selma?” She turned, smiling at the small man. “You wanted to see me?”

 

“Yeah hey Fir.” she sat down in one of the chairs that wasn’t covered in snow and motioned for him to join her, letting him know that he didn’t need to stand the whole time. Fir declined. “I just wanted to know how things were looking.”

 

“Everything’s on the right track. We’ll be ready and good to go by the day.” Selma nodded, watching as a cup of hot chocolate appeared on the table before her. A matching saucer beneath it with three small cookies off to the side.

 

“I think I felt a little disturbance a few minutes ago.”

 

“Yes, there was, a small issue.” Fir lifted a small notebook he had been holding in his hands, letting her know that it had been properly documented and would be entered into records later. “Everything’s fine.”

 

“Who was it?”

 

“Cathleen Styles.” Selma looked back out to the hills.

 

“Cathleen?” Fir nodded. “She’s one of Tabitha’s right?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“And you’ve already told her of this?” She reached for the hot cup and saucer.

 

“Yes ma’am.”

 

“And it’s handled?” Fir nodded again.

 

“Yes her father took care of it.”

 

“Good.” She took a sip. “Tabitha’s not worried?”

 

“No.”

 

“Good.” Selma smiled and Fir took a step back. “Well thank you for the update Fir. That’s all I wanted.” She nodded once, letting him know he could go. “You’re doing a great job by the way. Your mother would be so proud.”

 

Fir stopped in the doorway, turning back to look at Selma, “Thank you.”

 

//                   //                   //                   //

 

“What does an old guy even want?” Cathleen stood in front of a shelf full of Christmas themed mugs, holding one that was made to look like Santa’s head by its handle. It was kind of cute, but Cathleen wasn’t sure Santa would be too fond of it if she left it as a gift.

 

“A back scratcher.” Cathleen looked Harry,

 

“Dad, that’s so lame.”

 

“I want a back scratcher.” He mumbled to himself.

 

“Maybe Santa will bring you one.”

 

“Santa doesn’t bring presents for parents, just the children.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Cause seeing their children happy is present enough.” Cathleen let her head fall back and turned to look at her father. A cheesy smile sat on his face.

 

“Did you read that in a greeting card?”

 

“As a matter of fact, I did.” He ruffled her hair and gave her a gentle push to keep them moving. “Doesn’t make it any less true though.”

 

“But everybody likes getting something.”

 

“That’s true. But when parents love their kid as much as I love you, there really isn’t anything they want more than to see them happy.” Cathleen stopped and turned to look at her father.

 

“Uh,” Harry smiled goofily at her and she gave a reluctant smile, feigning embarrassment as she glanced around them for witnesses. “I love you too dad.”

 

He gave a loud sigh of relief, attracting the attention of the other shoppers around them. Turning Cathleen’s fake embarrassment into the real thing.

 

“Good thing Cath.” Harry continued loudly. She shook her head and turned down the nearest isle into the bath and bedding section. “The drive home would have been, awkward.” Cathleen let out a tiny laugh and Harry smiled, following her through the isle before one shelf caught his eye. “Hey, what about this?”

 

* * *

**December 24** **th**

 

They were sisters. Five to be exact, though there were only four standing together in a rather large garage of sorts. Talking amongst themselves as the workers around them busily went through their checklists, making sure everything was in order. They were waiting for the oldest to join them so they could get the night started.

 

“Okay guys,” Selma finally walked in; a cup of coffee, her phone, and a pen in one hand; pushing her hair back with the other. She paused as her sisters turned their attention to her. Snapping her fingers and pointing at them, “gals.” She winked. “Everybody ready?”

 

“Sel, we’ve been doing this for years. We’re fine.” Selma rolled her eyes.

 

“Whatever, let’s keep it clean you guys. No incidents.”

 

The tallest of the women held her hands up and took a few steps back, laughing she headed over to her lane. “That one’s not on me.”

 

“No I know.” Selma watched her. “That’s why you’re my favorite. No I think we all know it’s Angelica and Noel causing problems.” She walked over to her lane with the other three following suit, separating to their respective stations.

 

“Uh, it’s not our fault people are easily fooled.” Angelica pushed her hair behind her shoulder and adjusted her dress before climbing into her seat. Noel traded out her slippers for a much warmer pair of boots.

 

“Yeah don’t blame us for their incorrect conclusions and need to create and fuel rumors.”

 

“Oh my god you two are a headache.”

 

The gates opened and one by one the sisters took off, saying their goodbyes and going their separate ways in the night.

 

//                   //                   //                   //

 

Cathleen stood up on a step stool next to the bathroom sink with toothpaste around her mouth as she brushed her teeth, watching her father in the mirror and trying not to laugh. He was very silly. He was also brushing his teeth.

 

She waved her toothbrush in the air and then pointed it down to the sink. Harry nodded, dragging his toothbrush along his teeth a few more times before leaning down to spit his toothpaste out.

 

“Spit.” He leaned back, giving Cathleen room to copy him. He passed her a small cup of water when she stood back up. “Rinse.” They each took a sip water, swishing it around to wash away any extra toothpaste. “Check.” Big smiles in the mirror. Turing their heads side to side to see all angles. “Beautiful.” The pair high-fived and began cleaning up the sink. “Cathleen if the only good thing you did all year was take care of your teeth Santa would still bring you lots of presents.”

 

Cathleen laughed as she shook the excess water off their toothbrushes and passed them to Harry so he could put them in the toothbrush holder. When all was done he held his hand out for her to hold on to as she jumped of the step stool. He turned out the light as they left and headed to Cathleen’s room to get her settled into bed for the night.

 

“Dad?” Cathleen climbed into her bed, waiting for him to come back over and pull the blankets over her. He went around the room, making sure the windows were securely locked and that everything was in order.

 

“Yes?” He walked over, pulling the blanket up under her arms.

 

“Does Santa really give coal to kids who are not good?”

 

“Um, no.” Harry sat down on the edge of her bed. “They just get boring stuff. Like a yo-yo that doesn’t yo or a thousand piece puzzle that no child would have any interest in.”

 

“Did you ever get presents like that?”

 

“Yeah there was one year, was not my best behavior, and I actually did get a yo-yo that didn’t yo and a plastic kazoo that also didn’t work so well.”

 

“Do you still have it?”

 

“No.” Harry laughed. “Your grandmother threw it out cause I was driving her insane trying to make it work.” Cathleen smiled and snuggled more into her blanket. “Anything else?”

 

She shook her head.

 

Harry leaned forward and placed a kiss on her forehead, turning on the little snowflake shaped string lights that were draped across the headboard. They were meant for the outside of the house, but over the years they’d become too dim to put up. So Cathleen hung them across her bed for the holiday.

 

“Sleep well Cath.” He turned the light off and stepped out of the room, pulling the door with him until it was a little more than cracked. “I luh-uuvv yoou.”

 

Cathleen laughed, “Love you too dad.”

 

* * *

**December 25** **th**   **–Early Morning**

 

The tall one shivered. It wasn’t often she got cold, but the winds in this area were particularly nasty that night.

 

“Okay who’s next?” She pulled out a folded piece of paper from where it had been tucked into her boot, opening it up to cross Sid Campbell’s name off. Glad she was nearing the end. “Let’s see, ah. Cathleen Styles.”

 

//                   //                   //                   //

 

Cathleen rubbed her eyes as she slid off her bed. She thought that bells jingling had woken her up but not a sound was made when she listened for them again. Figuring that it must have just been a dream she decided to have a glass of water before trying to get back to sleep.

 

She quietly made her way downstairs, mindful of the night and not wanting to disturb any sleeping beasts. There was no evidence, but Cathleen liked to believe that a family of mice found shelter in their home during the colder months.

 

Four steps from the bottom of the staircase she heard the jingling bells. Cathleen raised her head to listen, but again there was only silence.

 

“I think you should be asleep.” Cathleen turned her head with such force that for a moment she believed the woman standing in front of the Christmas tree was just a figment of her imagination.

 

She was facing away from her, bending slightly as she moved something under the tree.

 

“Who are you?” The woman stood, tall, and turned. Smiling at the young girl.

 

“I’m Santa.”

 

“No you’re not.”

 

“Uh, yeah I am.”

 

“No.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“You can’t be.”

 

“I really think I would know if I was Santa.”

 

“Santa is a big jolly man with a beard.”

 

“No hun.”

 

“That’s what my dad says.”

 

“Well maybe your dad doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” Cathleen and the women watched each other. “I’m sorry your dad’s a smart guy. Very nice.”

 

“You know my dad?”

 

“I know of your dad.”

 

“How?”

 

“Well,” she paused “do you have a pen and paper? So I can explain it?” Cathleen moved away from the stairs, walking over to the console table against the wall next to the doorway of the living room. Never talking her eyes off the woman. She pulled a blank page and a marker from on the drawers and passed them over the couch. The woman grabbed them, using the mantel of the fireplace to press on as she wrote before passing the paper back to Cathleen.

 

In letters big enough to fill the whole page it read, ‘I’M SANTA’ Cathleen looked up at the woman. Unimpressed. She, the woman, grinned.

 

“I walked into that one.” The woman nodded immediately.

 

“Yes you did.”

 

“I should’ve seen that coming.” Cathleen gave a light huff and looked back the paper.

 

“I know you believe me.” Cathleen looked up again. “You’re a smart girl Cathleen. You didn’t run or scream because you know I’m not a threat. You haven’t woken up your dad or called the police about an intruder in your house because you know I’m telling you the truth. But if you’re not ready to admit that, which is fine, you can always just watch me finish up here and leave. And then you can go back to bed and pretend this was all a dream when you wake up next.”

 

Cathleen looked down at the paper again before walking around to sit on one end of the couch, pulling the small tray of cookies from the table and putting them next to her. She picked up a cookie for herself and offered one to the woman. She smiled again, sitting on the opposite side of the tray and taking the offered treat. They sat quietly, watching each other as they ate their cookies.

 

“If you’re Santa then why does everyone think that you’re an old man?”

 

“I don’t really know. You’d have to ask one of my sisters that cause I know I’m definitely not responsible for that rumor.”

 

"Sisters?"

 

“Yeah. There’s five of us. You really think is a one person job?” The woman shook her head. “I mean we’ve got magic yeah but no one’s that good.”

 

“So is Santa your last name?”

 

The woman snorted, “No.”

 

“Are you all just named Santa then? Or is it like a title?”

 

“No no, Santa is actually S-A-N-T-A. It’s not a name at all.”

 

“Nuh uh.”

 

“Yuh huh.” She leaned forward, reaching for her bag and pulling it towards them. She raised her arm, stretching the fabric so Cathleen could see the letter stitched in gold.

 

“Can I touch it?” Cathleen looked at the woman, who laughed in return.

 

“Uh yeah, why wouldn’t you?”

 

“I don’t know.” Cathleen held a hand out, running her fingers across the letters. “Could’ve been like bad luck or something.”

 

"That’s silly.” The woman laughed again, letting go of the bag when Cathleen was done.

 

“What does it stand for?”

 

“Selma, Angelica, Noel, Tabitha- that’s me, and Audrey.”

 

“And you guys have always been Santa?’

 

“Yep.” Cathleen observed Tabitha more closely than she had before.

 

“But I thought, I thought Santa’s been around forever?” Cathleen squinted at her.

 

“We have.”

 

“So you’re like really old.” She said it as a fact.

 

“Oh I’m super old.” And it was.

 

“You don’t look it.” Cathleen spoke honestly, thought she was sure that Tabitha knew this already. She got a wink and a sparkling smile in return.

 

They ate more cookies.

 

//                   //                   //                   //

 

“So if…..Santa, isn’t really, Santa, are the elves real?” Cathleen and Tabitha had shifted into more comfortable positions. The older of the two, having kicked off her boots, was leaning back in a slouch with her stocking covered feet propped up on the small table. Legs crossed at her ankles. Cathleen sat similarly, only in a much deeper slouch so her much shorter legs could reach the table as well.

 

Tabitha had welcomed her to ask as many questions as she could think of.

 

“Yeah the elves are real.” Cathleen nodded. “But get this, they don’t make the toys.” She gasped. “ I know. I know. But there’s more.”

 

“How could there be more?” Cathleen slapped her forehead.

 

“The toys,” Tabitha held a finger up for emphasis, “make themselves.”

 

“No!”

 

“Shhh. But yes!” Tabitha pushed some hair behind her eye and leaned closer to Cathleen. “The elves supervise it all.”

 

“Wow.”

 

//                   //                   //                   //

 

“Do you have flying reindeer too? Or is there like, a minivan sitting on our roof?”

 

“A minivan?!” Tabitha faked offense.

 

“Okay, okay! Something cooler them?”

 

“Yes a nice convertible would be great. Comfier seating and better steering too probably. Wow that sounds like a dream.”

 

“So the flying reindeer are real then?”

 

“Yeah.” Tabitha nodded. “But now I want a car. I should mention it at our next S.A.N.T.A. meeting.” She reached for another cookie but was met only with an empty tray. “Oh.” She looked down. “That’s sad.”

 

“We’re out of cookies.” Cathleen looked down at the tray. “Does that mean you’re leaving now?” She looked up at a Tabitha, saddened at the thought.

 

“Do you have more cookies?”

 

“None that are made.” Cathleen shrugged. “I’m not allowed to use the stove without supervision.” She squinted, staring at Tabitha’s knees in thought. “I don’t, really think you count as supervision. Even if you are like super old.”

 

“Do you have other snacks?”

 

“Yeah.” She shrugged again.

 

//                   //                   //                   //

 

Harry rubbed his eyes as he walked back to bedroom after having shuffled half asleep down the hall to the bathroom. He stopped to check in on Cathleen, as parents do. Any traces of sleep that were still with him disappeared when a small wave of panic moved quickly through him at the sight of his daughter’s empty bed.

 

“Cath?” Harry whispered, looking over every corner of her room. He turned back, looking at the bathroom before shaking his head. She wouldn’t have been in the bathroom. He had just been in the bathroom.

 

Harry stood still, silent. Thinking. Considering. Trying to calm himself from jumping to the worst possible scenario. No one could have entered or exited the house, the alarms hadn’t gone off. And Cathleen only knew the code to turn the alarms on.

 

It was too loud.

 

Harry could feel his head starting to spin.

 

It was too loud.

 

The sound of the refrigerator closing broke the silence. Everything stopped. He moved toward the stairs, hearing a slightly muffled version his daughters voice listing cereal as he reached the top step.

 

He smiled, letting out the breath he’d been holding.

 

“Cereal Cath? At two in the morning?” He whispered to himself, making his way down to join for a midnight snack.

 

And just to look her really.

 

To see her with his own eyes and settle his heart.

 

“Oh, yes yes yes yes yes.” An unfamiliar voice, followed by the very familiar giggle of his daughter caused him to freeze. The extra presents under the tree and bright red bag in the living room went unnoticed as his attention was trained on the kitchen. He could see Cathleen holding up a box of Cap’n Crunch and smiling at something, someone, he couldn’t see from where he stood.

 

Harry moved slowly from the stairs, quietly approaching the kitchen. Cathleen’s back was turned when he stepped in, but a woman sat the small table. The box of cereal and carton of milk were placed on the table in front of her. Two plates littered with crumbs had been shoved to the side. She was already looking at him; from the moment he entered the room. Smiling.

 

Harry stared at her.

 

“Cath?” He looked at his daughter, glancing at the woman every now and then. Cathleen turned around at the sound of her father’s voice, holding the bowl and spoon she had gotten for Tabitha. “What’s going on? Who is this?”

 

She didn’t answer right away, glancing at Tabitha for guidance on how to handle the situation. Was she allowed to tell? Was she supposed to lie? What lie would she even tell?

 

“What dad? You don’t know?” Cathleen placed the bowl on the table and smiled secretively at her father. He watched as the woman poked her side, the pair sharing a short laugh over something he was clearly unaware of.

 

“Don’t be naughty now Cathleen. I am still here, I can take them away.” She narrowed her eyes playfully at the girl.

 

“You wouldn’t.” Cathleen shook her head. “You like me too much.”

 

“Oh?” She raised her eyebrows.

 

“Hi excuse me,” Harry took the pause in their conversation to return to unanswered question. “I still don’t know who you are.”

 

“Dad this is Tabitha.” Cathleen and, Tabitha, smiled at him.

 

“And how do you know her?”

 

“We just met.”

 

“You just met?” Cathleen nodded. “At two in the morning?”

 

“We met at one in the morning.” Tabitha looked at a watch she had pulled from a pocket on her skirt. It showed the amount of time she was expected to spend in each house, the exact amount of time she spent in each house, and was always adjusting her time slots as the night progressed.

 

“You’ve just been in my house for an hour?”

 

“A little over an hour actually.” Harry frowned.

 

“Who are you? How did you even get in here?”

 

“Dad please,” Harry looked at Cathleen “you’re being rude.”

 

“I’m being rude? There’s a stranger sitting in our kitchen at 2am and you think I’m being rude?”

 

“Dad,” Harry took a breath and looked at his daughter. “Tabitha came through the chimney. She’s, well, she’s Santa Claus.”

 

Harry watched Cathleen shrug, aware of how crazy it sounded but unsure of how else to explain. But she was smiling. He looked at Tabitha, a smile on her face and nodded enthusiastically.

 

He shook his head.

 

“No.” Tabitha snorted and Cathleen smiled.

 

“I didn’t believe it at first either dad, but she made a very convincing argument.” The two laughed again as Cathleen sat down at the table. “Just look at the tree, the presents are there. And her bag is next to the couch.”

 

Harry looked sideways at his daughter and took a step backwards. He looked between her and Tabitha again before leaning back to observe the living room. Just as Cathleen had said, extra presents were under the tree and a velvety red bag sat slouched against the couch.

 

It wasn’t unbelievable. Santa Claus was real. Harry’s mother had made sure that he knew that. And that he never stopped believing it. There had been a time when he doubted it of course, thinking that perhaps his mother simply pretended that half of the presents they got weren’t from her.

 

But then Cathleen came along.

 

And presents marked with her name in a handwriting that wasn’t his wrapped in paper he didn’t own started showing up under the tree.

 

Harry stepped back into the kitchen and nodded.

 

“Okay.” He was still nodding. “Okay. I um, I thought Santa was an old guy though?”

 

“Wow.” Tabitha laughed again and Cathleen pushed the last chair out with her foot.

 

“Are you gonna join us?”

 

//                   //                   //                   //

 

They answered all of Harry’s questions over cereal. Tabitha had let Cathleen lead; only stepping in when he asked something Cathleen didn’t know the answer too.

 

“Oh hey,” Harry looked up from his bowl after taking his last bite to find that Tabitha was addressing him. Cathleen looked up as well. “Since you’re uh, here, do you think you could make more cookies? Cathleen said she’s too little to use the oven.”

 

“Hey!” Tabitha stuck her tongue out at Cathleen.

 

“More cookies?”

 

“We kind of ate all the cookies. And then she wanted more cookies but I’m not allowed to use the oven without supervision and I just figured that you probably wouldn’t accept Santa Claus as supervision so we had other snacks instead.” Cathleen explained.

 

Harry stood and Cathleen pushed her empty bowl towards his as he offered to take Tabitha’s if she was done. He placed the dishes in the sink and turned the oven on before heading over to the fridge. Crisp light lit up a patch in the dark kitchen when he pulled the door open, searching for the extra cookie dough they had saved from earlier.

 

“Let’s see,” He grabbed the dough, “We’ll have to make more dough later for grandma and aunt Gem if we make the rest of this now you know Cath.”

 

“That’s okay.” She shrugged. “We can’t disappoint Santa dad.”

 

“No we can’t.” He smiled as he separated the dough evenly and placed them on the tray. Letting the oven warm up a little more Harry looked over his shoulder to see the pair attempting to figure out the puzzle on the back of the cereal box. He turned back and pulled three mugs from the cabinet, “Why don’t we have some hot chocolate as well?”

 

//                   //                   //                   //

 

They moved back into the living room. Sitting comfortably on the couch with three mugs on the table. Steam rolling into the air as their drinks cooled. Harry had one of his legs propped up on the other, with Cathleen curled into his side, tucked under his arm that was stretched across the back of the couch.

 

“I have to thank you, you know.” Tabitha shifted, folding her legs up beneath her as she turned sideways to face them, leaning into back cushions.

 

“Me?” Harry was surprised when he noticed Tabitha’s eyes were on him as she spoke.

 

“Yeah.” She smiled, amused. “Cause this one’s caused some trouble for me earlier.”

 

“Me?” Cathleen leaned forward. “What did I do?”

 

“Doubting me.” Tabitha poked her side, getting a small giggle from the girl.

 

“Oh.”

 

“Yeah oh,” Tabitha laughed and looked back at Harry over Tabitha’s head. “But you handled it well so thank you very much.”

 

“Cath did you give Tabitha her gift?” Harry looked at Cathleen, pushing her knee with his finger.

 

“Oh yeah!” She got up from the couch and crawled under the table to get the gift that was placed next to the fireplace. Picking it up Cathleen remembered the little message she had written for Santa Claus. She looked back at the couch, the two adults watching her with smiles on their faces. “Um, one second.”

 

The pair watched as she took the gift and dashed upstairs with it.

 

“A gift?”

 

“Yeah, Cath was wondering if Santa got gifts for Christmas and then decided that she would get him a gift. She wrote a little note and everything, but now that we know that Santa is you, she’s probably gone to write a new note.”

 

“How sweet of her.” Harry nodded in agreeance, watching Tabitha for a moment before he spoke again.

 

“I’m sure it’s obvious but, she’s very excited about all this. You being here.” He paused. “Or meeting you I should say. You’ve been here plenty of times I suppose.” They laughed, as adults do. “It’s just a bit strange though, for me.”

 

“Is it?”

 

“I guess it’s just that, I’m so used to the Santa Clause idea that we have. But then you’re here, sitting on my couch telling me that Santa doesn’t exist and it’s just you and your sisters, and I believe it.” Harry shrugged. “I guess it’s not so much the believing you part that’s-“

 

“That’s Christmas magic.” Tabitha cut him off, briefly touching his hand that rested along the back of the couch. “You believed me because it makes you trust your heart more than you usually would. You didn’t believe me at first, your head was telling you no. Partly because I was a stranger in your house but also because I am not the jolly fat man that I’m believed to be.”

 

Harry laughed, “No you’re not.”

 

“I’m not in a bright red suit either.”

 

“You are in a red skirt though.”

 

“Yes well,” Tabitha laughed. “I guess that is true.”

 

“Why do we think that?” Tabitha’s eyes crinkled as she smiled, her nose scrunching in a funny sort of believable disbelief.

 

“Wow,” she shook her head “you two are really just alike. I don’t know too much about why people think we’re an old man but, one of my sisters wears a red pantsuit. And another where’s a red dress, that has a fluffy lining across the top.”

 

“Ah, so they’re they one’s causing all the problems then?” Tabitha pointed at him, agreeing with his statement.

 

“Exactly.” She nodded and laughed. “I am so good at this. I never cause any trouble.”

 

“Until now.”  Cathleen appeared behind the couch, the gift held behind her back with a new card addressed to the woman personally. Tabitha leaned closer to Cathleen, resting her chin on the couch next to Harry’s hand.

 

“You’re not going to tell all my secrets to your friends are you?” Cathleen shook her head.

 

“Cath’s friends have stopped believing in Santa.” Tabitha raised an eyebrow and glanced at Harry, whose face held a similar expression as he looked at her.

 

Tabitha leaned back, looking back at Cathleen as she stood with her head down.

 

“I see. They wouldn’t happen to be the reason you began to doubt me?” Cathleen was silent, staring intently at ground. “We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. I mean, we’re all here now. I wouldn’t be here in the first place if you didn’t believe in me.” Tabitha reached up and placed her hand on Cathleen’s shoulder.

 

Harry got up on his knees, balancing himself carefully as he wrapped his arms around Cathleen to lift her over the back of the couch. The little girl giggled as he sat them both down and kissed the top of her head.

 

Tabitha smiled warmly, watching them.

 

//                   //                   //                   //

 

“Your dad’s a pretty handsome dude.”

 

"Thank you.” Cathleen nodded. “I’ll be sure to tell him you said so. He’s terribly insecure you see.” The girls giggled quietly. A particularly cold gust of wind caused their hair to fly.

 

“I should go. It’s too cold for little girls such as yourself to be out in just your jams.” Tabitha tapped Cathleen’s reddening nose. “Wouldn’t want you to get sick the night before Christmas.”

 

“I’ve got on my coat.”

 

“But no hat. And you’re in slippers!” she pointed dramatically to the little girl’s feet and stomped her foot.

 

“You don’t have a hat either! You’re not even wearing a real jacket!” Cathleen pulled her coat tighter. Tabitha laughed.

 

“Jacket? What jacket? Who needs a jacket when I’ve got this wonderful new blanket to keep me warm?” She made a big show of shaking the blanket as she opened it, swinging it around her back and draping it over her shoulders. Snuggling into the fluffy fur that was now blocking out the cold winds.

 

Harry stepped out then, sliding one of his beanies onto his daughter’s head and wrapping his own coat around her as an extra layer.

 

“Tabitha?” she stopped, turning back to look at Cathleen. “Will I see you next year?”

 

“I don’t know.” Tabitha shrugged. “I hope so.”

 

“But you know where we live.” Cathleen stared at the ground. “I mean, it doesn’t have to be Christmas for you to visit does it?”

 

“Cath,” Harry held her a little tighter, wanting to remind her that Tabitha was probably very busy with a job like hers, and might not have all the time in the world to visit at just any time. But Cathleen didn’t stop.

 

“Sometimes we go to the movies. And my grandma and aunt come over for dinner and things like that all the time. You could come too. She could come too right dad?” Cathleen looked up at her father.

 

“If,” he didn’t know. “If Tabitha has the time, she’s certainly welcome to stop by for a visit.”

 

Harry looked at Tabitha, knowing how much his Cathleen had come to like the woman and hoping that she would be able to come back before the next Christmas holiday.

 

She smiled, taking a few steps forwards and bending down to the young girl’s level. “I’ll tell you what, let me know when is a good time for me to stop by. Just write me a letter.”

 

Cathleen twisted happily under her father’s coat.

 

“How do I-“

 

“Just put my name on the envelope and leave it in the fireplace. It’ll get to me. Cathleen nodded and Tabitha stepped back, letting out a quick whistle. The reindeer came down from the roof, landing in the street behind her.

 

Cathleen’s eye lit up at the sight of them.

 

Tabitha winked and threw her bag into the sleigh before climbing in. Picking up the reigns as another gust of wind came through, blowing snow around in the air, she gave another smile. Waving one last time before disappearing with the wind as the snow settled.

* * *

**December 25** **th**   **– Mid-Afternoon**

 

The living room was warm Christmas day, with everyone gathered at Harry and Cathleen’s to spend the evening together. He sat on the couch next to his sister, watching as his mother oohed and aahed at every dinosaur Cathleen showed her from her the big encyclopedia she’d received that day.

 

A few muffled thumps from above caused Cathleen to look up for a moment before a louder thump brought everyone’s attention to the fireplace, where the fire that been going was replaced by a clump of snow.

 

“That’s strange.” Harry got up and walked over to the fireplace, moving the screen so he could clean up the snow. Before he could, something else fell through the chimney. Landing perfectly on top of the snow pile, was a present. A long cream colored box wrapped with two dark green ribbons tied in a bow.

 

Cathleen got up from where she sat near the tree, moving around her father to reach for the gift. A small card was tucked under the bow. She pulled it slightly, just enough to see what was written on it.

 

_‘for Harry.’_

 

Cathleen turned, holding the gift out to her father and smiled, “It’s for you.”

**Author's Note:**

> he got a back scratcher with an H at the end of the handle.
> 
> vury fancy


End file.
